Memories of Yesterday
by Misha
Summary: AU. Serenity Moon returns to her former home to pass one last test and to prove once and for all that she's over her ex. But it's not that simple...


Memories of Yesterday   


* * *

By Misha 

Disclaimer- I don't in any way, shape, or form, own Sailor Moon or any thing associated with the character. I do own this story, but it is a total work of fiction. 

Author's Notes- Okay, this is really dumb, sorry. This is set in an alternate reality, most of mine are, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the series, except the characters. That's it for now, enjoy.   


* * *

"Darien." Chad Nicholas said as he stepped into Darien Shields plush office. 

"Yes?" Darien asked, slightly irritated about being distracted form his paper work. However Chad was one of his closest friends and Darien was sure there was a good reason for the interruption. 

"You know how you told me I could invite Raye here this weekend?" 

Raye Simmons was Chad's fiance and was a frequent visitor at Rose Crest Acres, Darien's stately Virginia home. 

"Yes." 

"Well, she won't come alone." 

"What do you mean?" Darien asked in confusion. 

"It seems that she had already made plans with a friend and she was wondering if the friend could come to." 

"Who's the friend?" Darien asked. Raye was a well-known model and so were most of her friends. "Amy, Mina, or Lita?" 

Amy Jansen, Mina Kent, and Lita Peterson were Raye's three best friends and they all involved with friends of Darien's. 

"None of them. It's Serenity Moon." 

"Serenity Moon?" Darien repeated, picturing the up and coming model in his mind. 

She was gorgeous with her shoulder-length blond hair, her dazzling blue eyes, and just a touch of girlish innocence. 

"I wasn't aware Raye knew her." 

"Oh, she has apparently become the fifth in their little pack. Andrew told me that Mina talks about her non-stop. She apparently adores her." 

Darien smiled sadly as he remembered another blond whom Mina had adored, his ex-wife. But nobody, including Mina, had heard from her in years. Who knew where she was now. 

"Of course she may come." Darien told Chad. "But I really must get back to this paper work." 

Chad knew Darien was thinking of Rena and thoughtfully exited the office. 

Darien opened a desk drawer and took out a faded picture. 

Rena. 

It had been ten years since he had seen her, ten years he had come home to find her gone and a note saying their marriage was over. 

It had been brief, a whirlwind courtship and just a quick marriage. He had known her less than a year in total. 

He had been twenty-one years old when he met her and he had loved her the first time he had set eyes on her. Then it had ended, quickly and very painfully. 

Darien shook his head. 

Thinking about Rena often made him sad and brought forth too many emotions. Instead he concentrated on Serenity Moon and conjured up a picture of her in his mind. 

She had a reputation for being cool, sophisticated, secretive, and very anti-marriage. Just like him. 

He wondered if she too had a failed marriage and like him never wanted to try again. 

One thing was for sure, he definitely wanted to get to know her. 

She seemed to be all that he was looking for. 

Suddenly he moved his arm and something fell to the floor. He picked it up and saw that it was a fashion magazine Chad had left, it obviously had a picture of Raye in it. 

He looked at the cover and was greeted by Serenity Moon' icy blue eyes.   


* * *

Darien Shields. 

He'd be the ultimate test for her. Serenity Moon realized as she packed to spend the weekend at his estate. 

She had been there before, of course, but no one knew that. Not even Mina Kent who had been her best friend back then knew that Serenity Moon and Rena Taylor were the same woman. 

She had changed a lot since then, in a lot of ways. She had gone to a professional modelling school and turned herself into the woman that was now Serenity Moon. 

She had cut and curled her long, straight blond hair. 

She wore contacts instead of glasses. 

She had out grown the clumsiness that she had had when Darien had known her. 

She had even gotten ridden of her Japanese accent and learnt perfect English. 

All in all she had turned herself into the perfect woman. A woman who was nothing like her past self. 

Now she had just one test left until she knew for sure that Rena was buried once and for all. 

She had to visit her ex-husband. The man she still cared for deeply. 

She shook her head and concentrated on packing. 

This weekend had to go well.   


* * *

_A Few Days Later_

Darien and Chad stood in the driveway watching the sleek limo drive up. 

"Raye." Darien greeted as the superbly elegant Raye got out of the car and walked into Chad's arms. 

"Darien." She said warmly after she had finished kissing her fiance. 

Darien smiled and turned to the other woman. 

"I'm Serenity Moon." She said, holding out one perfectly manicured hand. 

He took it and brought it to his lips. "Darien Shields." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Serenity told him softly, her icy blue eyes warming softly. 

"The pleasure's all mine." Darien said. 

Serenity just smiled, a challenge in her blue eyes. 

A challenge Darien planned to take her up on. 

Serenity saw the light in Darien's eyes and smiled to herself. 

She knew that being in his arms would be the biggest test for her act. One that she knew she had to pass, one that she had been preparing for for years. 

Serenity smiled at Darien. "I've heard a lot about you." She told him, making sure to keep her voice bored. 

"I'm sure. I've heard a lot about you." 

"Oh? Good or bad?" She asked softly. 

"All good." He assured her. 

"The same." She told him. "I've heard a lot of good things." 

"I'm glad." He whispered, brushing her hair out of her face. "And I have to say that you're even more beautiful in person." 

"Thank you. You're even more handsome." She told him, giving him a soft smile. 

Raye saw and grinned. "It looks like Darien's hooked." 

"Oh, yeah." Chad agreed. "I've only ever seen him fall for one woman like this." 

"Rena." Raye said quietly. "It's been forever since I thought about her. It's been what, ten years now?" Even after all these years the guilt over what she had done to Rena had never left her, even though she had never told anyone. 

Chad nodded. "And I don't think Darien's completely recovered yet." 

"Maybe Serenity will help him." Raye said, looking at her friend. "Maybe she's just what he's been looking for." 

Chad nodded. "Maybe, I hope you're right."   


* * *

"Where will I be sleeping?" She asked softly once they were all inside. 

Before Darien could answer the phone rang and he picked it up. 

"Hello? Hey Andrew. What? Of course I don't mind. Raye, Chad, and a friend of Raye's are already here. Great. I'll see you then." 

He hung up the phone and turned to the other three. "That was Andrew, he and the others all managed to have this weekend clear and wanted to know if we'd mind them joining us." 

"Andrew as in Andrew Fairchild, Mina's Andrew?" Serenity asked softly. 

Darien nodded. "Yes." 

"That's great!" Raye said happily, then she turned back to Darien. "I'm going to go get settled." 

"Okay." Darien said. 

"I'll show you to your room." He told Serenity after Raye and Chad had gone upstairs. 

"Thank you." Serenity said softly. 

"I hope you don't mind your room is the one next to mine." Darien told her. 

She stopped and stared at him. 

"I'm sorry," he told her, "it's just that the others usually use the same ones each time they visit. But if you'd like I guess I can get one of the girls to switch with you." 

Serenity shook her head. 

"Of course not." She said softly. "I don't mind. But how many bedrooms are there?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer. 

"12." Darien answered like she had known he would. "Three belong to the live in staff, one's mine of course, then there are the ones the others always use, one was my parents which I never use, and another was my sister's and I keep it vacant for the same reason." 

"I understand." She said softly. "But what about the other one?" 

Darien stopped and gave a sad smile. "That one was the one that my wife and I shared during my brief marriage and I haven't used it since she moved out." 

Serenity said a silent prayer of thanks. She could cope being in the room next to Darien's, but not in their room. 

"I didn't know you were married." She lied softly. 

"Most people don't. I was young and it didn't last very long." 

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely, almost as if by giving him her sympathy she could apologise by not being the kind of woman he had wanted and needed so long ago. She had loved him, but that hadn't been enough. 

"It's okay, it was a long time ago." Darien said softly. 

Neither said anything and then finally Darien spoke. "Let's go." 

She nodded and followed him.   


* * *

"It's beautiful." Serenity said as she and Darien stepped into the room she'd be using. 

"Thank you." Darien said. "I decorated it myself." 

"Really?" She asked in surprise. 

"Really. I'm a man of many talents." 

"I bet." She said with a smile. 

She could read the challenge in Darien's eyes, the challenge that she had to take if she ever wanted to put Rena Taylor behind her. 

"I'll let you unpack." Darien said after a long minute. 

She nodded. "I'll come down stairs when I'm done." 

"Okay." Darien agreed leaving. 

She watched him go and then began to unpack. 

Maybe this would be easier than she had thought.   


* * *

Later that evening Serenity looked in the mirror one last time before going down stairs. She wanted to look beautiful, sexy, and as un-Rena like as possible. 

She had succeeded. 

She tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder and walked down stairs. 

She waited a minute, long enough to be pretending to search, then made her way to the living room. 

She hesitantly peeked in the doorway and was greeted by a large group of people. 

"Serenity!" Lita called, standing to greet her. 

Serenity smiled at her friend. "Hey Lita." 

"I see you found your way here alright." Darien said as he also stood up. 

"I took a guess." Serenity said with a shy smile. 

Darien took her hand and led her to the couch. 

She sat down beside him and tried to keep the memories at bay. 

"What do you guys want to do tonight?" Raye asked. 

"I don't care." Serenity said softly. "Why don't you guys decide?" 

"I say we watch a movie." Lita suggested, snuggling up to her husband Ken. 

"Great." Mina agreed. 

"What kind?" 

"Romance." Lita, Amy, and Raye all said at once. 

"An old one." Mina added. 

The guys groaned. 

"Fine." Darien agreed with a sigh. "But not Casablanca." Casablanca was their favourite movie, but it also happened to be Rena's. 

Serenity remembered that and smiled slightly. "Fine by me." 

"Yeah, Ser doesn't like that movie either." Raye commented. 

Darien turned to Serenity. "It looks like we have a lot in common." 

"It seems that way." Serenity commented coolly. 

_More than you know Darien, more than you'll ever know._ She thought as she looked at her ex-husband.   


* * *

Serenity looked around at the darkened living room. 

They were watching "Gone With The Wind," and all the girls were cuddled up to their respective guys. 

Serenity decided to make a move, she moved over so her head was resting on Darien's shoulder. 

After a minute he smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. 

_Bingo!_ She thought to herself, cuddling close to him. 

Darien couldn't believe it when Serenity lay her head on his shoulder. She didn't seem like the kind of woman to cuddle up, but maybe the movie was getting to her. 

"Do you like the movie?" He whispered. 

"Not particularly." She whispered back. "Scarlett's a bitch, Melly's a fool, Ashley's a wimp, and Rhett's the only good character." 

"That just about sums it up." Darien told her with a laugh. 

"Do you think they would notice if we left?" Serenity asked, motioning to their friends. 

"Probably not." Darien responded. "Want to go get a breather?" 

"Sure." Serenity said, getting up. 

Darien smiled and followed her out of the living room. 

"Can you play pool?" He asked. 

"Yeah." She replied. 

"Want to?" 

"Okay." 

He smiled and led her out to the pool room. 

When they were there he took out two pool cues and handed one to her. 

"Here you go." 

"Thanks." She said, taking one with a slight smile. 

"Do you want to break or do I?" Darien asked. 

"You can." Serenity told him. 

Darien agreed and they began their game.   


* * *

An hour later he had won twice and she once. 

"You're good." Darien complimented. 

"You're better." Serenity said with a shrug and then she put down her pool cue. "The movie's probably over by now." 

Darien nodded. "Yeah." 

He put his own cue down and was about to leave the pool room, when she gently touched his arm. He turned to face her and she stood on tiptoes and kissed him. Darien responded automatically and pulled her close to him. 

After a minute she pulled away and blushed. 

"I shouldn't have done that." She apologised. "I'm so sorry." 

"Don't be. I didn't mind." Darien told her. "I'm attracted to you and I'm sure you know that." 

"I'm attracted to you too." Serenity told him. "But I'm not normally one to act on my attractions." 

"Why not?" 

_Because I'm your ex-wife._ She thought, but of course she did not say it. 

"I was hurt before... In the past." She said softly after a minute, thinking about them and their past. 

"I was hurt too." Darien said quietly. "But, I got past it." 

"I did too." Serenity told him, hoping that he wouldn't hear the rough emotion in her voice. "But sometimes it hard, that's why I don't like to rush things. I take things slow, but with you I'm losing control. I'm acting on impulse, something I don't normally do." 

Darien smiled slightly and looked at her seriously. "Then let's make a deal. I won't rush you, if you agree to see where this attraction between us could go. Who knows it could be meant to go somewhere serious." 

Serenity paused. What could she say? She wanted to get close to him again as much as she wanted a hole in her head, but she had to agree. 

"Alright." She said finally. "I'll see where it leads."   


* * *

_A Month Later_

Serenity sighed into her mirror. 

In the month since she had visited Rose Crest Acres with Raye, she had seen Darien frequently. In fact she was headed down there tonight. 

"I just feel so guilty." She whispered to herself. "I hate myself for hurting him again, even though I know I have to." 

She knew that Darien was seriously falling for her and thought back to the last month. 

He had sent her flowers, called almost every night, he even flew up to New York on the weekends and took her out. 

She had been distant, not promising anything, but she knew he was gaining hope of weakening her guard. 

The worst part was she was beginning to fall for him. She was beginning to fall in love with him again. 

"I can't." She whispered. "I have to end it before we both get hurt again, because there's no way we can be together." 

She let a tear run down her cheek, her heart breaking.   


* * *

Darien met Serenity at the airport and was surprised to see a sad look in her eyes. 

"What's wrong?" He asked softly. 

"It's nothing." She whispered, then she smiled. "So what did you have planned for tonight?" 

"I thought we would have dinner at Rose Crest, just the two of us." 

She looked uncomfortable second, but then smiled brightly. "That sound wonderful Darien." 

He smiled and took her hand, leading her to his car. "I'm glad, I have something to tell you." 

"I have something to tell you too." Serenity told him softly. 

He smiled and then started the car.   


* * *

Serenity walked down into the dining room and stopped short. 

Darien had set up a beautiful candlelight dinner for two. 

She gulped and slowly walked over to him. 

"You look lovely." He complimented with a smile. 

"Thank you, you look good yourself." She said calmly. 

"I'm glad you approve." He led her over to the table and they both sat down. "Serenity, I have to tell you something, but first I need to explain something to you." 

"What?" She asked gently. 

"My marriage." 

Serenity felt a flash of horror, but quickly hid it. "What?" 

Darien smiled sadly. "I know I never talk about it, but before I tell you what I'm about to I need to tell you what happened. Her name was Rena Taylor. I met her when I was 21, I was in New York on business and she was going to school there. She was only 19 and new to The States, she was Japanese. I fell for her instantly and she felt the same. We began to see each other and after a month I asked her to marry me. She agreed and I brought her back here. Raye hated Rena on sight, but everyone else liked her. Mina was especially fond of her. I thought things were going well between us, then after four months of marriage I went away on a business trip, when I got back she was got. There was a note saying that it hadn't worked out and that she was sorry to have hurt me. That was it." 

He laughed bitterly. "She was sorry to have hurt me! I was devastated. I spent the next three years trying to recover from a broken heart, then Susan, my sister, died. I finally began to put my life back together, but I swore that I would never get serious about a woman again. You changed that." 

"I did?" Serenity asked softly, guilt-stricken for what she had put him through, even though she had had her reasons. 

Darien smiled lovingly at her. "You did. I'm in love with you, Serenity. I don't love you the same way I loved her, I'll never love anyone like that again. I was young and naive, but I do love you." 

She gulped. "Darien..." 

He cut her off. "I know it might be too soon for you, but could you-" She interupted him. 

"You don't understand!" She told him, tears streaming down her face. "I'm Rena!" 

"What?" He asked in shock. "You can't be." 

She looked at miserably. "After I left I went back to New York and enrolled in a modelling school, I spent the next few years changing my appearance." 

"Why did you come here?" He demanded. "You had to have known who I was, did you come here to deliberately hurt me?" 

She shook her head. "No. You have to believe me, I came here to test my new persona. I had no intention of making you fall in love with me again. I was going to come here, meet you, and then fade out of your life after a weekend." 

"Why didn't you?" He demanded. "Did you just want to break me all over again?!" 

"No! I was falling in love with you." She sobbed., she looked pleadingly at him. "Darien, you have to believe me. Please, let me-" 

"No!" He bellowed. "Leave now. I never want to see your face again." 

"Alright." She whispered hoarsely. She turned and left. "Goodbye Darien."   


* * *

When Serenity got back to New York, she threw herself on her bed and started sobbing. 

If only Darien had let her explain... 

But then, what use would it be to explain? It wouldn't change what had happened... Nothing could. 

Her vision clouded with tears, Serenity let the memories take her back nine years and to a different life...   


* * *

_Nine Years Earlier_ Rena had looked into the mirror with innocent excitement. 

She was pregnant! 

She couldn't wait to tell Darien, he was away on business at the moment, but she could still call him. 

"Oh, Darien we're having a baby." She whispered to herself and then she picked up the phone and dialled Darien's hotel room. 

"Hello?" A female voice asked. 

Rena was silent for a moment. "Raye? What are you doing there?" 

Raye laughed prettily. "Honey, you don't know? Well, they do say the wife's the last to know. I'm here with Darien, that's why he came to New York, you know. To see me." 

Rena clenched her hands. "I don't believe you." 

Raye laughed again. "Don't you? Well you can ask Darien yourself, if you can wait a minute. He's in the shower." 

Rena blinked back a tear and wordlessly hung up, then she threw herself on the bed, the words Raye had said to her the day of her wedding coming back. 

"You and I both know that Darien's making a huge mistake by marrying you, he could never be happy with someone like you. He only thinks he can because he's mistaking sex for love, soon though he'll get bored and realize what a horrible mistake he made. Then he'll come back to me, he always does." 

Serenity realized that Raye was right. She stood up and packed her bags, then she rang for a cap and left Rose Crest Acres, leaving Darien a note in their room saying that it was over. 

An hour later she boarded a plane to New York, vowing to never look back.   


* * *

Rena arrived and New York and the first thing she did was go to a health clinic. 

"It's better for everyone." She whispered to herself as she walked into the waiting room, the sooner she had an abortion the sooner she could forget everything that had happened. 

Including Darien. 

No, she wouldn't forget him. She would keep him in her mind as the kind of guy to stay away from, she would also get over him. 

"I will." She promised herself. "One day I'll stop loving him." 

"Miss Thompson?" The receptionist called. Rena stood up and walked trembling into the office. It killed her to do this, but she had to. 

It was the only way.   


* * *

_Present_

Darien sat alone in his study, his head full of thoughts what of he had just learnt. 

Serenity was Rena. It seemed impossible that she was back in his life after so long. But then again, she wasn't. 

Once again she had exited his life and once again, she had broken his heart in the process. 

Darien thought back to the day that he had discovered that Rena was gone...   


* * *

_Nine Years Earlier_

Darien came home after three days in New York and went upstairs to see Rena, when he didn't see her downstairs. 

He walked into their bed room and found a piece of paper on their bed. 

He read it out loud. "Darien, I'm sorry but it didn't work out. I didn't mean to hurt you, Rena." 

He stood there frozen for a long time, feeling a thousand different emotions rush through him. 

In the end he began to cry.   


* * *

_Present_

Raye walked into Rose Crest to find Darien sitting at his desk staring into space. 

"What's wrong?" She asked softly. 

She cared deeply for Darien even if it wasn't in the same way she had a few years before. She didn't love him and she knew it, but she did think of him as a dear friend. 

"Serenity's Rena." He said hoarsely, not even looking t her. 

"What?" Raye asked. "I couldn't have heard you well, because I thought you just said that Serenity is Rena." 

"She is." Darien told her, finally looking at her. "I told her I loved her and she admitted she's my ex-wife. She got a make-over, transformed herself into a super model, and came here to prove it worked. She even said that she was still in love with me." He laughed bitterly. "As if she even knows the meaning of the word." 

Raye felt a stab of guilt. "Darien... Maybe you should have let her explain." 

"Explain what? How she walked off with only a note, not looking back once? What kind of explanation is there?" 

"I told her I was your mistress!" Raye blurted out. "She called your hotel room and I picked up the phone. I let her believe that we were lovers and that you were in the shower." 

Darien stared at her in shock. "What? Why?" 

"I loved you." Raye told him. "Or I thought I did and I was angry that you rejected me for some country bumpkin, so I decided to break you up as soon as possible. I had gone to your room to try and talk some sense into you, I told the desk clerk I was your sister, and when she called I couldn't resist lying to her." 

Darien stared at her in disbelief. 

"But that still doesn't explain why she left like that." He said slowly. 

"Darien, I had been telling her since I met her that she wasn't good enough for you and that you'd realize that and come back to me. I guess she thought I was right and couldn't bear to hear you say it yourself. So she ran." 

Darien looked at her in anger. "How could you? I loved her!" 

"I know." Raye said softly. "I realized that when she left. Darien, I made a mistake and I'm sorry. You will be too if you don't go after Serenity and try to make it work." 

Darien nodded. "I know." 

He stood up and grabbed his coat. 

"Thanks for telling me Raye." He said before walking out the door.   


* * *

Serenity opened the door and froze. 

"Darien?" She whispered in shock. "I thought I'd never see you again." 

"I was wrong." He told her softly. "And I hope you'll forgive me. Raye told me she lied to you and told you she was my mistress. It wasn't true." 

"I know that now." Serenity whispered. "But for so long I didn't. I believed her." 

Darien looked at Serenity softly. "Serenity, Rena, it was a long time ago. We both made mistakes, but I love you, both sides of you, and you say you love me. Can't we give it another try?" 

"You don't know it all." Serenity whispered. "I had an abortion after I left. I thought it was best." 

"You were pregnant?" He whispered, unable to believe it. "You killed our baby?" 

"It didn't matter anyway." Serenity said, looking away from him. "The doctor told me that I would have lost it anyway." 

"Still, you killed our child." He said in shock. 

Serenity looked at him with a mixture of fury and anguish. 

"Don't judge me!" She cried. "You don't understand what I was feeling." 

"I know." Darien said softly. "I can't say I wish I had at least been told, but I understand that you were upset and that sometimes clouds our judgment." 

"Do you forgive me?" Serenity whispered softly. 

"I don't know." Darien said after a long moment. "But I do know I still love you. It might take time, but can't we at least try to give it another chance?" 

"Alright." Serenity whispered. "As long as we take it slow." 

"Definitely." Darien agreed. "We've both hurt each other badly in the past and we need time to rebuild out trust in one another." 

Serenity took a step towards him. 

"At least we have that time, now." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, sealing their new bargain to spend their lives together.   


* * *

_Two Years Later_

Darien looked tenderly at his wife. 

"Ser, she's beautiful." He whispered. 

Serenity smiled at her husband, then at her baby daughter. 

"Yes, she is." She agreed, kissing little Rini's head. 

Then she looked up at Darien, love shining in her eyes. "I love you." She whispered. 

"And I love you." He told her wrapping an arm around her. "You coming back into my life is the best thing that ever happened to me." 

"And to me." Serenity agreed. "But don't you ever wish we'd never parted?" 

"Yes and no." Darien told her. "Ser, those years without you were Hell, but we were too young back then. We shouldn't have married when we did. But now we're older and more mature, and we can make it work." 

"And we are." She told him softly, shifting Rini in her arms before leaning up to kiss him. 

After they pulled away Darien smiled at her. "Yes we are. I've never been happier than I am at this moment." 

Serenity looked down at her baby daughter and then at her husband, her eyes filling with tears. "Me either, this is all I've ever wanted. I love you both so much Darien." 

"I know." He told her softly. "And we both love you. Ser, this time it's forever." 

"I know." Serenity told him with a soft smile. "This time nothing can come between us." 

The End 


End file.
